Electrical connecting device



March 17, 1942. c, ows, JR 2,276,818

ELECTRICAL CONNECTING DEVICE Filed NOV. 4, 1939 lhventor-z Brian C.Be-llows,Jr:

s W TAMA H is AgboT-n e g.

Patented Mar. 17, 1942 ELECTRICAL CONNECTING DEVICE Brian C. Bellows,Jr., Orange, N. .L, assignor to General Electric Company, a corporationof New York Application November 4, 1939, Serial No. 302,883

3 Claims.

My invention relates to an electrical connecting device suitable for usein electric appliances in which an electrical conductor is brought; outthrough the casing of the appliance.

In mostelectrical appliances having permanently attached cord sets, theelectrical conduc tor is brought out through an opening in the casing ofthe appliance and a bushing is provided in this opening in order toprevent chaffing of the covering of the conductor and short-circuitingof the conductor on the casing of the appliance. In those instances inwhich such a construction is used, the bushing is usually pressed intothe casing and in order to provide some strain relief for the conductor,a large knot is tied in the portion of the conductor inside of theappliance adjacent the bushing. Such an arrangement has been found to benot entirely satisfactory due to the fact that the bushing may becomeloose and also due to the fact that the strain relief provided does notprevent the conductor from being twisted in or pushed through thebushing.

It is an object of my invention to provide a simple and inexpensiveconstruction and arrangement by which a bushing is firmly maintained inits assembled relation withrespect to an electrical appliance and apositive strain relief is provided for the conductor passing through theinsulating bushing which prevents the conductor from being twisted in,pushed into, or pulled out of the bushing.

It is a more specific object of my invention to provide a fitting formedfrom a single piece of material and having means for retaining aninsulating bushing in position and means for providing positive strainrelief for the conductor passing through said bushing.

It is a further more specific object of my invention to provide, as anew article. of manufacture, an integral metallic element having a diskportion adapted to engage an insulating bushing to firmly hold it inposition and a clamp portion supported on said disk portion adapted toengage an electrical conductor to prevent it from being pushed into,pulled out of, or twisted in the insulating bushing once it has beenassembled in its proper location.

It is a further more specific object of my invention to provide aconstruction of the aforementioned type which may be manufactured at lowcost and which may be readily assembled in its operative position.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent as the followingdescription proceeds and the features of novelty which characterize 65my invention willbe set forth with particularity in the claims appendedto and forming a part of this specification.

For a more complete understanding of my invention, reference should behad to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a view showing aportion of an electrical appliance provided with the electricalconnection of my invention applied thereto and Fig. 2 is an explodedview showing details of my new and improved connection.

Referring to Fig. 1, i0 represents a side wall of an electricalappliance. No particular appliance has been illustrated since myconnection may be applied to any appliance such as an electric hotplate, toaster, percolator, etc; Provided in the side wallin is anopening II in which is ins'erted a bushing l2' made from some suitableinsulating material such as porcelain. As shown in Fig. 2, the bushingcomprises a formed insulating member having a knob portion l3, a washerportion l4 and an elongated threaded portion i5. Extending centrallythrough the bushing is an opening l6 through which the electricalconductor ll to-be connected to the terminals of the appliance isadapted to pass.

In order to firmly secure the insulating bush- I ing to the side wall ofthe housing 10 and also to provide a strain relief construction whichprevents the conductor I] from being pushed into, pulled out of, ortwisted in the bushing once it has been inserted therethrough andconnected to the electrical terminals of the appliance, I have providedin accordance with my invention a unitary element I8 which is stampedand formed from a single piece of some suitable metal. Referring to Fig.2, it will be observed that the element i8 comprises a disk I9 in whichis provided a threaded opening I9a to permit the disk to be threadedupon the threaded portion of the bushing I5. The threaded opening isformed by providing irregular depressions in the disk l9 which form aspiral thread of sufficient pitch to permit the disk to cooperate withthe threads provided on the bushing to form a nut therefor. Integrallyformed on the disk l9 and supported thereby is an angular bracket 20having one leg portion 2! which extends outwardly from the surface ofthe disk and a second leg portion 22 which extends upwardly from thefirst leg portion so that the end thereof lies in substantial alignmentwith the axis of the opening in the disk. Integrally formed on the endof the leg 22 of the bracket 20 is a strain relief clamp comprising twoupwardly extending curved distance from the end of the conductor.

portions 23 and 24 spaced from each other at their upper extremities anamount suflicient to permit the conductor II to be readily insertedthereinto.

In assembling my improved connector, the bushing I2 is threaded on theconductor l1 and the conductor is inserted through the opening providedin the casing Ill. The member 18 is then inserted inside the casing land threaded on the conductor so that the clamping members 23 and 24 mayengage the conductor l1 and be squeezed together thereabout at anappropriate After the conductor has been connected to the terminals ofthe electrical appliance, the slack cord is pulled out of the casinguntil the disk I!) lies against the inside surface of the casing Ill.The bushing I2 is then manipulated from the outside of the casing i0 andthreaded through the disk l9 until the bushing and disk are firmly heldagainst the side wall of the casing, This method of assembling myimproved connector eliminates, in many instances, the need for slackcord inside an electrical appliance.

From the foregoing description, it is to be observed that I haveprovided a simple, inexpensive and easily applied connector for anelectrical appliance which comprises an insulating bushing and a unitarymetallic member having a disk constructed and arranged to serve as aretaining ring or nut for holding the bushing in position and anintegrally formed strain relief clamp supported by the retaining ring.

While I have shown a particular embodiment of my invention, it will beunderstood, of course, that I do not wish to be limited thereto sincemany modifications may be made, and I, therefore, contemplate by theappended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the truespirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by tion of said bushing andengaging the inner.

surface of said casing to secure said bushingto said casing, and abracket integrally formed on said metallic disk so as to be entirelywithin said casing and provided with clamping members adapted to be bentaround said conductor to prevent any substantial movement of saidconductor out of said bushing.

2. In an electrical device having a casing with an opening thereinthrough which an electrical conductor is adapted to pass, a bushing insaid opening constructed and arranged to insulate said conductor fromsaid casing, said bushing having a washer portion which engages theoutside surface of said casing and a threaded portion which extendsthrough said opening and into said casing, a retaining ring comprising adisk having a threaded opening therein cooperating with said threadedportion of said bushing and engaging the inner surface of said casing tosecure said bushing to said casing, an integrally formed bracketextending from the periphery of said disk and lying substantiallyperpendicular thereto, and a pair of curved clamping members formed onsaid bracket so as to be spaced from the opening in said bushing and tolie in substantial alignment therewith, said clamping members beingadapted to be bent into engagement with said conductor adapted to passthrough said bushing so as to prevent substantial movement of saidconductor with respect to said bushing and thereby prevent strain on theelectrical terminals to which said conductor is connected.

3. In an electrical device having a casing with an opening thereinthrough which an electrical conductor is adapted to pass, a bushing insaid opening constructed and arranged to insulate said conductor fromsaid casing, said bushing having a washer portion which engages theoutside surface of said casing and a threaded portion which extendsthrough said opening and into said casing, a retaining ring comprising ametallic disk having a pressed threaded opening centrally arrangedtherein cooperating with said threaded portion of said bushing andengaging the inner surface of said casing to secure said bushing to saidcasing, a substantially L-shaped bracket integrally formed'on theperiphery of said disk and having a portion spaced therefrom andextending substantially parallel thereto in a direction toward thecenter of said disk, and a pair of clamping arms integrally formed onsaid portion of said bracket so as to lie in substantial alignment withsaid opening in said bushing, said arms being curved to receive aconductor adapted to be inserted through said bushing and being adaptedto be bent around said conductor to clamp said conductor to form astrain relief member therefor.

BRIAN C. BELLOWS, JR.

